3 tips on getting the first customers for your startup

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. You need to believe in your idea. Just because others say they won’t pay for your service doesn’t mean you should drop your idea. It’s just that you need to focus more on the No’s.

Get a small set of users

To begin, emphasize on quality than quantity. Attract a small number of customers initially, maybe between 50 and 100, or even less, and identify if they like your service or not. Many people make the mistake of going after more customers. It’s natural when you want to let maximum people know about your startup and boost its growth. But, it’s viable to have a small set of users who engage with your service, before you are ready to attract more customers.

Test the value proposition

One of the best ways to determine whether your audience will like your product or service is to bring it to the market. Even if you need more time and money to release your product, testing its value proposition is a great way to predict its success.

For example, you can have a website with a mock landing page that explains your product and its advantages. After this is done, monitor your traffic and see if the users are engaging with your website in a meaningful way, such as signing up or clicking for detailed information. If one-third or more users have meaningful engagement, it is a good sign that your audience will pay for your service or product.

Give it for free

A great way to evaluate customer demand is to offer your product for free. If large number of people find it useful, there is a good chance that your audience will be willing to pay for your service. On the contrary, if your product struggles to gain users, it’s pretty much clear that you are going to have a tough time attracting your targeted audience.

Customers make your product or service successful. However, rather than focusing on getting more number of customers, try to build a base of satisfied customers who keep coming to you over and over again, and spread a word of mouth about your business.